Gold and Gold Stocks Readying for Upturn Against Stocks

Over the coming months, gold is likely to challenge its all-time highs while equities continue a topping process.

In the wake of the Fed's announcement of open-ended -- or as I like to call it, permanent -- quantitative easing (QE), mainstream advisors and pundits have found another way to promote stocks. Recently I heard one popular media pundit say, based on QE, that one should buy stocks, but not gold stocks. Also, pundits are instructing followers to buy Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) based on QE. What nonsense.

This stuff practically writes itself. Next, when inflation takes hold, we'll hear about how stocks are an inflation hedge. The reality is that the cyclical bull market in equities is approaching its end and will give way to the bull market in gold and gold stocks, which are set to move into the recognition phase.

A simple way to compare gold and stocks is to use ratio charts. Below, we graph gold against various markets, which include the S&P 500 ((INDEXSP:.INX), the Nasdaq (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC), and emerging markets. During the financial crisis, gold surged against equities. As the intensity of the crisis peaked, so did gold in real terms. It peaked again during the initial European crisis. Nonetheless, note that these ratios have maintained their uptrends throughout the cyclical bull in stocks. Over the next twelve months, we expect these ratios to retest their highs. In other words, look for gold to outperform equities.

The performance of the gold stocks, being a hyper-volatile sector, has been more erratic and less consistent than gold. However, the gold shares as depicted below by the HUI Gold Bugs Index (INDEXNYSEGIS:HUI) have maintained their uptrend against the S&P 500. It does not take a professional to see that this chart is a buy, which means buy gold stocks and sell the stock market.

The information on this website solely reflects the analysis of or opinion about the performance of securities and financial markets by the writers whose articles appear on the site. The views expressed by the writers are not necessarily the views of Minyanville Media, Inc. or members of its management. Nothing contained on the website is intended to constitute a recommendation or advice addressed to an individual investor or category of investors to purchase, sell or hold any security, or to take any action with respect to the prospective movement of the securities markets or to solicit the purchase or sale of any security. Any investment decisions must be made by the reader either individually or in consultation with his or her investment professional. Minyanville writers and staff may trade or hold positions in securities that are discussed in articles appearing on the website. Writers of articles are required to disclose whether they have a position in any stock or fund discussed in an article, but are not permitted to disclose the size or direction of the position. Nothing on this website is intended to solicit business of any kind for a writer's business or fund. Minyanville management and staff as well as contributing writers will not respond to emails or other communications requesting investment advice.